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Should Abortion Be Criminalized? Rejoinder to Akers, Davies and Shaffer on Abortion FBIM Transactions DOI 10.12709/fbim.02.02.01.04 SHOULD ABORTION BE CRIMINALIZED? REJOINDER TO AKERS, DAVIES AND SHAFFER ON ABORTION Walter E. Block Harold E. Wirth Eminent Scholar Chair in Economics and Professor of Economics, College of Business Administration, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, USA © MESTE NGO JEL Category: K18 Abstract: There is a gigantic, stupendous difference between being evicted and being killed, even if, upon occasion, the former leads to the latter. Still, even in these cases, we are entitled to distinguish between these two very different concepts. With regard to the controversy surrounding the abortion issue, the pro-choice side maintains that women have a right to do both; the pro-life forces maintain that women have a right to do neither. Evictionism is the theory that it should be legal for a woman to evict the fetus at any time during her pregnancy, but never, ever, to explicitly kill it. That would be murder. Were evictionism to be the law of the land, with present medical technology, all evicted fetuses in the first two trimesters would die, but they would not be murdered. All evicted fetuses in the last trimester would live, in alternative environments. And, as medical technology improves over time, more and more of those who are evicted at earlier stages of the pregnancy would be able to live. Ultimately, but not at present, evictionism would save the lives of all fetuses. Key words: Abortion, pro-life, pro-choice, evictionism, private property rights property rights based on the homesteading Should abortion be criminalized? insights of such scholars as John Locke, Murray Rejoinder to Akers, Davies and Rothbard and Hans Hoppe. Shaffer on Abortion It has long been a part of my scholarly output to Libertarianism is non-controversially defined as apply libertarian theory to controversial issues; to adherence to two concepts: the non-aggression expand the envelope by utilizing libertarianism to principle (NAP) coupled with a theory of private shed light on difficult challenges. Abortion is certainly one such case in point. Not The address of the author: only is the world at large at loggerheads with Walter E. Block regard to this issue, but so is the libertarian [email protected] Published: January 2014 MESTE 33 Block, V. Should Abortion be criminalized? FBIM Transactions Vol.2 No.1 pp.33-44 community. Murray Rothbard, Ayn Rand and swim 500 miles. We assume there is no other Gary Johnson all take a strong pro-choice boat around. Yes, property owners must remove position. Ron Paul, in sharp contrast, is no longer wanted invitees in the gentlest manner vehemently in favor of the pro-life alternative. If possible, but, sometimes, as in the case of the this is not an issue on which it is important to fetus not yet into the third trimester, and in the apply libertarian theory, then nothing is. case of A, this will end up in a killing of an I have been writing about abortion over the years. innocent trespasser (one with no mens rea). So, I first started in the late 1970s, and then again in are there positive obligations for the mother, and the early part of the last decade. Apart from a few B, to keep these respective people alive? Does scholarly responses1, and a few supportive the fetus, and A, have a “right to life?” Not for letters, my solution to this conundrum, libertarians, who limit themselves to only negative evictionism, has been ignored. I am therefore rights. For adherents of this philosophy, there is very grateful to Akers (2012A) (2012B), Davies no right to life, there are no positive (legal) (2012) and Shaffer (2012) for their criticisms of obligations. Note, we are now confining ourselves my viewpoint. I also thank this journal for the to the law: what should the law be? We are not opportunity to respond to these three authors. If I discussing morality, a very separate matter. Are cannot convince long term, stalwart, committed B and the mother who evicts a fetus murderers? libertarians such as these three authors that Not if we believe that they are the proper owners evictionism is the only correct analysis of this of the boat and the womb, respectively. I agree issue, then I cannot convince anyone of it. I shall this conclusion sounds nasty. It may not pass reply to the specific objections mentioned by this some “smell” tests. But in my view evictionism is trio, but before I do, some general remarks. the only theory fully compatible with libertarianism. Those who reject evictionism A is swimming 500 miles from shore. B picks up reject the libertarian emphasis on private property A out of the water, invites A onto his boat, feeds rights, which supports only negative rights. These him, nurtures him for a day. Then, B demands critics embrace so called positive rights, and thus that A leave his boat and get back into the water. remove themselves from the libertarian This will spell certain death for A, who cannot perspective, at least on this one issue. For if the fetus has a right to remain inside the mother’s 1 Block on evictionism: (Block W. E., Toward a womb against her will, and A has a right to Libertarian Theory of Abortion, 1977) (Block W. E., L’Aborto: Una Legittima Difesa, Undated (1997?)), remain on B’s boat over B’s objections, then (Block W. E., Abortion, Woman and Fetus: Rights in libertarianism goes by the board. We must focus Conflict?”, 1978), (Block W. E., Stem Cell Research: on property rights, and libertarian theory, and not The Libertarian Compromise, 2001), (Block W. E., Libertarianism, Positive Obligations and Property allow emotions to get in our way, if we are to Abandonment: Children’s Rights, 2004), (Block W. E., clarify the proper position on this matter. Homesteading, ad coelum, owning views and It is important to realize that a trespasser need forestalling, 2008), (Block W. E., A libertarian perspective on the stem cell debate: compromising the not have mens rea: a guilty mind. The trespasser uncompromisible, 2010A), (Dyke & Block., 2011), need not purposefully want or intend to unlawfully (Block W. E., Terri Schiavo: A Libertarian Analysis, occupy someone else’s property. The trespasser 2011A). Critics of evictionism: (Akers, Not My Definition — or Webster's Either — of 'Trespassing', could be comatose, or unconscious, or, as in the 2012A), (Akers, What if the 'Fetus' Could Shoot Back?, case of the fetus, unawake, and in any case too 2012B), (Davies, 2012), (Parr, 2011), (Shaffer, 2012), young to think or have purposes. But, as long as (Wisniewski, A Critique of Block on Abortion and Child the fetus, whether invited or not, and A, who is Abandonment, 2010A), (Wisniewski, Rejoinder to Block’s Defense of Evictionism, 2010B), (Wisniewski, explicitly invited, occupies someone else’s Response to Block on Abortion, Round Three, 2011) property against their will (in the absence of a Block responds to critics: (Block W. E., Objections contract giving the occupier rights), he is a to the Libertarian Stem Cell Compromise, 2010B), (Block W. E., Rejoinder to Wisniewski on Abortion, trespasser, and the property owner should have 2010C), (Block W. E., Response to Wisniewski on a legal right to remove him, in the gentlest, least Abortion, Round Two, 2011B), (Block W. E., Response rights-destroying manner possible. But, does to Wisniewski on Abortion, Round Three, 2011C), voluntarily engaging in sexual relations constitute (Block W. E., Evictionism is libertarian; departurism is not: critical comment on Parr, 2011D) a contract with the fetus? I deny this. A contract 34 MESTE Published: January 2014 Block, V. Should Abortion be criminalized? FBIM Transactions Vol.2 No.1 pp.33-44 has to have (at least) two parties. If we ignore the Only those who refuse to make this exception father, and host mother contracts, there can only remain within the realm of logical discourse. be an agreement between the mother and the fetus. But, at the time of intercourse, the other 1B. Akers, 2012B: contracting party, the fetus (a fertilized egg), does This author starts of by conflating “murdering not yet exist. It takes time after ejaculation for the people before birth” with evicting them from the sperm to reach the egg. Thus, even if we think private property owned by someone else. The that the fertilized egg (in my view, a human being two are not at all the same. Yes, if a baby in the who bears all rights he will ever have) is capable third trimester is killed when it could have been of contracting (he most certainly is not), he didn’t saved, that is indeed downright murder. But, if even exist at the time of voluntary intercourse, the mother evicts the fetus in one of the first two the supposed basis of his rights to remain trimesters, before it would be viable outside the through invitation. womb given today’s medical technology, that I shall now respond to the specific criticisms certainly amounts to a killing, but not a murder. made in these four publications in the order This would be akin to the boat owner asking the mentioned above. swimmer to leave his premises. 1A. Akers (2012A) Several of Akers’ (2012B) correspondents interpreted evictionism “as a variation on abortion States this author: “‘Evictionism,’ huh? That’s a — and an attempt to euphemize same.” No. new one to me.” True, alas, all too true. Despite Supporting evictionism is very different from my best efforts to publicize this libertarian favoring abortion. One allows for the saving of all analysis, all too few scholars have even so much babies in the third trimester; the other does not.
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